Some Japan Post guy came to my door tonight (I was expecting my package from Amazon) and after a fairly convoluted discussion in Japanese (which I really don't understand), we were able to determine that JapanPost has figured out that there is some kind of "machine" in my package (a.k.a. "the camera") that has a battery in it, which is apparently very dangerous ("security very very"). So looks like I'll have to remove the battery in order to get it out of the country. I suppose I could just keep it in the box, outside of the camera, but I have a feeling I'd just get another knock on the door reminding me of the very very security risk I have on a package covered in Hello Kitty stamps.

So there'll be a slight delay (I'll get it out tomorrow or this weekend), and I guess I can be pretty confident that the x-rays they used to scan the package will have erased the beautiful, but rare, three-horned Japanese unicorn (smaller than the regular kind, of course) that I managed to capture in the bamboo grove at my university.

we were able to determine that JapanPost has figured out that there is some kind of "machine" in my package (a.k.a. "the camera") that has a battery in it, which is apparently very dangerous ("security very very"). So looks like I'll have to remove the battery in order to get it out of the country.

“Photography is a complex and fluid medium, and its many factors are not applied in simple sequence. Rather, the process may be likened to the art of the juggler in keeping many balls in the air at one time!”

Ansel Adams, from the introduction to The Negative - The New Ansel Adams Photography Series / Book 2

Or exploding Macintosh computers - the PRAM batteries on the older Macs are notorious for exploding once they get past 10 years of age. Typically damage the motherboard enough that it can be a total loss.